1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to semi-automatic handguns of the type generally referred to as the 1911A1 Government Model Handgun, which for many years has been manufactured for and utilized by military and law enforcement agencies of the United States and have also been widely available for civilian use. More specifically, the present invention concerns improvements to the basic 1911A1 Government Model Handgun to enhance the accuracy thereof for utilization of such handguns in match type shooting activities. Even more specifically, the present invention concerns imposition of one or more friction minimizing elements, such as hard metal balls projections formed by dimpling sheet metal or by any other suitable means, which establish contact points between movable handgun actuation components, particular trigger mechanisms to permit low friction, extremely smooth movement and enhancing shooting accuracy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional 1911A1 Government Model Handgun, a trigger assembly is disposed in sliding relation within internal slots defined within the handgun frame and is provided with a trigger shoe which extends through a trigger slot of the frame so that a finger engaging portion of the trigger shoe is positioned within the trigger guard of the frame for actuation by a user""s finger during firing or discharging actuation of the handgun mechanism. The sliding relation of the trigger assembly with the internal trigger slots of the frame is achieved by a trigger bow having two parallel side elements which engage within the internal trigger slots and a transverse rear bow element which is integral with the parallel side elements and which is engaged by a disconnector element and a leaf type main spring or sear spring. When the trigger mechanism of the handgun is actuated the friction that is developed between sliding components, particularly the main spring and the trigger bow with the disconnector element. causes a condition known as trigger creep, which is an uneven movement of the trigger as the sear is moved to disengage from a shoulder of the hammer. Because of this uneven trigger movement many users of firearms, including handguns, rifles, shotguns and the like, tend to become unsteady during aiming, resulting in inaccurate shooting. It is desirable therefore to provide means for minimizing sliding friction between trigger components and other relatively movable sliding components so that trigger creep does not occur during trigger actuation.
The use of titanium as the spring material for any trigger groupxe2x80x94albeit pistols, rifles, shotguns, with the reduced modulus of elasticity of 15 ksi from steel (30 ksi) allows for a broader sweet spot for smoother and more linear trigger pulls. It has always been beneficial to provide a smooth even force of trigger movement from beginning to end. Accuracy is improved with reduced potential for trigger jerk. The movement of the trigger shoe rearward can be divided into three distinct components. The initial movement (commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ctake-upxe2x80x9d) of the trigger should be at as close to the same tension from beginning to end where contact is made between the disconnector and the sear. This movement is required to allow clearance for disconnector function to prohibit triggering of the firearm with out the bolt or slide in final position for firing and also to allow reset of the disconnector and the sear after tripping. The mid section of movement is the actual tripping of the sear, resulting with the hammer falling onto the primer or firing pin. The final movement is the continued travel after the hammer is tripped (commonly referred to as over travel). This final movement allows for the clearance between the sear tip and the rotating or sliding hammer geometry. Once the finger releases the trigger shoe the trigger bow/shoe combination is urged rapidly forward by the titanium spring at a very lively linear rate to allow for quick reset of the sear tip and full cock notch of the hammer. The cycle time from initial tripping of the hammer to reset is typically less than 0.06 seconds. Continued movement forward allows for the release of the disconnector to move upward and reset in the disconnector tip notch in the slide. The cycle is now ready to begin again.
It is a principal feature of the present invention to establish essentially point or linear bearing engagement between relatively movable engaging firearm components, such as the components of trigger mechanisms for handguns, rifles, shotguns and the like, for the purpose of mining friction between the components and thus providing for smooth engaged movement of the components for enhancing the accuracy of the firearm;
It is another feature of the present invention to establish essentially point or line engagement between relatively movable engaging firearm components by utilizing small projections on such components to maintain contact therebetween as relative movement occurs between components;
It is an even further feature of the present invention to establish essentially point or line engagement between relatively movable engaging firearm components by interposing small, relatively hard and smooth elements, such as metal balls, dimples formed in metal structure and projections defined by metal structure so that the hard and smooth small elements permit engaged low friction relative sliding movement to be accomplished by such components so that the components will not tend to creep as such movement occurs.
Briefly, this invention is based on the insertion of a smooth hardened ball, a dimple in the sear spring (steel, stainless, plastic, carbon fiber or titanium material) to minimize sliding friction between the spring and the disconnector or between other sliding components of a firearm mechanism, particularly the trigger mechanism of a handgun or other firearm. In addition, the same technology can be applied to the trigger bow of a semi-automatic handgun by placing an additional ball or dimple in the trigger bow that minimizes sliding friction between the rear transverse element of the trigger bow and the disconnector. The benefits of the sear spring or the trigger bow modifications can be applied together or separately in the trigger mechanism. Each adds an individual benefit of minimizing sliding friction between engaging trigger components. Together the effect is synergistic and provides for extremely smooth operation of the disconnector and thus smooth operation of the trigger mechanism. A matching cylindrical groove can also be placed in the disconnector where the balls or dimples would run thus creating a linear bearing surface rather than point contact that provides minimized friction and alignment of the trigger to the disconnector and the sear spring to the disconnector.
To minimize friction in the trigger mechanism of a 1911 A1 Government Model semi-automatic handgun or a similar firearm, a hard metal, typically chrome steel ball is mounted to one trigger assembly component and establishes point contact or minimal surface area contact with another trigger assembly component. In the 1911 A1 Government Model semi-automatic handgun, one of the three prongs of the sear spring engages a transverse end member of a trigger bow. A transversely bent upper portion of one of the prongs of a three pronged sear spring overlies and captures the end member of the trigger bow in interlocking relation so that the sear,and trigger bow are mechanically interconnected.
A central prong of the three-pronged main spring is provided with an enlarged upper portion which is split and defines a ball seat. A hard chrome steel ball member is seated in the ball seat so that a low friction, essentially point contact relation is established between the transverse rear portion of the trigger bow and the main or sear spring. This condition lessens or eliminates potential xe2x80x9ccreepxe2x80x9d of the trigger during firing so that a crisp hammer release occurs, thereby enhancing the accuracy of shooting activities. Alternatively, the hard metal ball may be set into a ball seat that is defined in the transverse rear end member of the trigger bow so that point contact is established between the ball and the upper end of the central prong of a conventional sear spring. Other engaging trigger components may also be equipped with a contact ball, a projection formed by a dimple or formed by any other method, for similar purposes.